Biofuel

APM 2024 Interview: GCMD examines decarbonisation of Singapore’s bunkering fleet, promotes biofuel fingerprinting

Dr. Prapisala Thepsithar, Director of Research & Projects, GCMD provides an update on the IMO 2030 readiness of Singapore’s bunkering fleet and discusses the significance of a completed fingerprinting study for biofuels.

Published

2 years ago

March 12, 2024

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Dr. Prapisala Thepsithar, Director of Research & Projects, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, recently spoke with Singapore-based bunkering publication Manifold Times, ahead of the Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) 2024 to be held on 13 to 15 March.

MT: How far is Singapore’s bunkering fleet on target to meet IMO 2030 requirements?

While emissions from bunker fleets are accounted for under national emissions budget, and as such do not contribute directly to IMO’s overall GHG emissions targets, bunker vessels are responsible for delivering bunkers that contribute directly to shipping’s scope 1 emissions, and therefore play an indirect but crucial role in enabling maritime decarbonisation. As the world’s largest bunkering port (50 MPTA of bunker), Singapore thus stands to significantly contribute to achieving IMO’s targets. This will be achieved by ensuring the readiness of its future bunker fleet to supply alternative fuels to international shipping.

Singapore is home to around 200 fossil fuel bunker vessels; these are interoperable for carrying and bunkering fuel oil blends with up to 24% biofuels (B24). In a recent positive development, Annex II bunker vessels capable of bunkering fuel oil blends with more than 24% biofuels have been recently delivered to Singapore. The addition of Annex II bunker vessels will allow ship operators to readily bunker fuel blends with higher biofuels concentrations and Singapore should accordingly see an uptick in biofuels delivery as a consequence.

The port waters of Singapore is also serviced by three LNG bunker vessels that can readily bunker bio-LNG in the future, offering another “drop-in” green fuel.

As for other green fuels, the outlook for bio-methanol, green methanol, green ammonia, presents a mixed picture. Following a successful methanol bunkering trial in 2023, the construction of methanol bunker vessel is underway. The uptake of methanol as a marine fuel will depend on the life-cycle assessment (LCA) of the methanol supply.

While several approvals-in-principle (AIP) have been granted for ammonia bunkering vessels, final investment decisions are premature at this stage. This is due to the lack of commercially available ammonia-fuelled engines and the uncertain market demand for ammonia as a marine fuel. The construction of such first-of-a-kind asset faces potential low returns on investments. To facilitate commissioning, a commercial arrangement that allows shared financial and operational risks will be required.

MT: How would findings from GCMD’s fingerprinting studies with VPS impact the practicalities of local/ global deployment of biofuel blends?

Biofuels, particularly FAME and biodiesels, are promising green fuels candidates today given their “drop-in” compatibility with existing engines and bunkering infrastructure. Yet, concerns remain over their long-term impact on engines and the carbon intensities associated with their production. Specifically, land-use change associated with feedstock acquisition can lead to increased GHG emissions.

Additionally, the variable performance of biodiesels due to their chemical composition and response to environmental conditions, raises challenges within the vessel’s fuel delivery system and engines and potentially across the biofuels supply chain.

Fingerprinting techniques therefore offer a vital tool for addressing these concerns. This technique acts as a dual indicator, to trace and authenticate feedstock provenance and predict biofuels properties.

Traceability

Chemical fingerprinting can help identify the origin of FAME in biofuels. This technique, combined with others, like physical tracers and lock and-seal methodology, provides a comprehensive suite of tools for detecting fraudulent fuels. This transparency is essential for both upstream suppliers and downstream stakeholders to safeguard the green premium of biofuels, and ultimately safeguard the integrity of marine fuels supply chain.

Predicting biofuels properties

The FAME that composes biofuels determines its physical and chemical properties. Consequently, identification through chemical fingerprinting of biofuels can help predict fuel characteristics relevant to vessel performance, such as cold flow properties and oxidation stability.

This information will aid vessel operators in their handling and storage of biofuels, mitigating any potential issues, like inadvertent heating that would lead to wax formation, and clogging due to fuel degradation.

GCMD, in collaboration with VPS, has developed and deployed test methods, including one that complies with EN14103:2020 to identify FAME fingerprint in residual fuels. This process has a turnaround time of less than 24 hours; the turnaround time can potentially be further reduced to under an hour with the deployment of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for fuel compositional analysis. The swiftness of this test can lower the barrier for frequent fuels testing, which should ultimately bolster the integrity of the marine fuels supply chain.

GCMD looks forward to share more on the organisation’s work in the biofuels space at the upcoming Asia Pacific Maritime 2024.

Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 12 March 2024

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Alternative Fuels

ENGINE on Fuel Switch Snapshot: LSMGO surges to greater premium over biofuel

B100 discount to LSMGO widens to $541/mt in Rotterdam; Singapore’s B100 drops to $106/mt below LSMGO; Rotterdam LBM at $639-833/mt discounts to LSMGO.

Published

14 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

ENGINE on Fuel Switch Snapshot: LSMGO surges to greater premium over biofuel

Once a week, bunker intelligence platform ENGINE will publish a snapshot of alternative and conventional bunker fuel prices in the world’s two biggest bunkering hubs. The following is the latest snapshot:

20 July 2026

B100 discount to LSMGO widens to $541/mt in Rotterdam
Singapore’s B100 drops to $106/mt below LSMGO
Rotterdam LBM at $639-833/mt discounts to LSMGO

B100’s premium over HSFO in Rotterdam has narrowed by $50/mt over the past week to $64/mt, while its discount to VLSFO has widened by $83/mt to $105/mt.

B100 has become far more competitive against LSMGO in Rotterdam, with its discount widening by $180/mt over the past week to $541/mt, as a surge in conventional fuel prices left B100 broadly unchanged by comparison.

B100’s price has risen by $109/mt in Singapore, but its discount to LSMGO has still widened by $102/mt to $106/mt, as LSMGO surged by an even greater $211/mt.

Rotterdam’s LNG premium over VLSFO has widened by $35/mt to $201/mt for vessels with Otto medium speed (Otto MS) engines. For vessels with diesel slow speed (diesel SS) engines, LNG has flipped to a $15/mt premium over VLSFO, from a $22/mt discount the prior week.

Liquefied biomethane (LBM) discounts to VLSFO in Rotterdam have narrowed by $50-52/mt to $203-396/mt over the past week. Against LSMGO, LBM discounts have widened by $45-47/mt to $639-833/mt, depending on engine type.

In Singapore, LNG is now $42/mt cheaper than LSMGO for vessels with Otto MS engines, and $134/mt cheaper for vessels with diesel SS engines.

ENGINE on Fuel Switch Snapshot: LSMGO surges to greater premium over biofuel

Liquid fuels

HSFO and VLSFO prices in Rotterdam have jumped by $66/mt and $99/mt respectively over the past week, while LSMGO has surged by an even steeper $196/mt. A $9.69/bbl ($71/mt) rise in front-month ICE Brent futures, to $87.94/bbl ($645/mt), drove bunker prices sharply higher across the board.

Bunker fuel availability is tight for prompt delivery dates in the ARA ports, with buyers advised to enquire about stems between 5-7 days ahead to get good coverage, a trader said.

Rotterdam’s B100 price has risen by $16/mt over the past week. Dutch ZRE A ticket prices were unchanged at €107.50/mtCO2e.

Singapore’s HSFO and VLSFO prices have risen by $130/mt and $132/mt respectively, while its LSMGO price has gained an even steeper $211/mt over the past week.

VLSFO availability in Singapore has been tight, with several suppliers reporting low stock levels. Recommended lead times have widened from 13–17 days last week to 14–19 days now.

Liquid gases

Rotterdam’s LNG prices have surged by $134-136/mt over the past week, while its LBM prices have climbed by $149-151/mt.

LBM discounts to LNG in Rotterdam have narrowed by $15/mt to $404-411/mt.

Singapore’s LNG bunker benchmarks have surged by $196-197/mt over the past week.

By Erik Hoffmann

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 21 July, 2026

Alternative Fuels

Repsol and Maersk wrap up first bioethanol bunkering operation in Port of Barcelona

Repsol supplied 2,800 mt of bioethanol to a Maersk container vessel, “Antonia Maersk”, in the first bunkering operation of its kind in the Port of Barcelona and one of the first in the Mediterranean.

Published

2 days ago

July 20, 2026

Admin

Repsol and Maersk wrap up first bioethanol bunkering operation in Port of Barcelona

Spanish energy company Repsol and shipping giant A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) completed the first bioethanol bunkering operation in the Port of Barcelona, according to the port authority on Wednesday (15 July).

Repsol successfully supplied 2,800 metric tonnes (mt) of bioethanol to a Maersk container vessel, Antonia Maersk, in the first bunkering operation of its kind in the Port of Barcelona and one of the first in the Mediterranean.

The operation demonstrates growing demand for alcohol-based marine fuels, as well as the readiness of the infrastructure, logistics, and operational capabilities required to support their deployment at commercial scale.

Juan Abascal, Repsol’s Executive Managing Director of Industrial Transformation and Circular Economy, said: “With this supply, we reaffirm our commitment to the decarbonization of maritime transport through solutions that are available today and ready to scale in the future.

“At Repsol, we provide shipping companies with a reliable supply chain and a multi-energy strategy that combines different renewable fuels to support the sector in a safe, competitive, and sustainable transition.”

The supply took place in the Port of Barcelona under fully commercial conditions, bringing together key players across the maritime value chain and demonstrating how collaboration can accelerate the adoption of lower-emission solutions in shipping.

The delivery was carried out by Bahía Candela, Repsol’s newest bunker vessel, operated by Mureloil and designed to supply both conventional marine fuels and next-generation energy products.

During the bunkering operation, Bahía Candela operated using its battery system, enabling the fuel transfer to be completed with zero local emissions, and further reducing the environmental footprint of the operation.

Prior to the bunkering, Maersk tested ethanol on one of its smaller vessels, the 1,800 TEU feeder vessel Laura Maersk, which in 2023 became the world’s first dual-fuel container vessel able to operate on methanol. Today, Maersk has 23 dual-fuel container vessels designed to operate on methanol; however, the company continues to explore ethanol as an alternative fuel for its methanol-enabled vessels. Laura Maersk has performed sailings on 100% ethanol as well as blends of ethanol and methanol.

Emma Mazhari, Vice President Energy Markets at Maersk, said: “Following the successful ethanol trials conducted on Laura Maersk, this latest bunkering of Antonia Maersk marks another important step in our efforts to explore scalable low-emission fuel solutions.

“As the first ethanol trial on one of our large dual-fuel vessels, with a capacity of 16,000 TEU, it allows us to deepen our understanding of ethanol’s operational potential at scale.

“Building on the experience we have gained with methanol, we are working closely with port authorities and industry partners to develop the infrastructure and procedures needed to support ethanol bunkering. Ethanol is one of several pathways we are pursuing to diversify our future fuel portfolio and help accelerate the development of new, viable liquid marine fuel markets.”

Photo credit: Port of Barcelona
Published: 20 July, 2026

Biofuel

DP World, Svitzer switch harbour tug to HVO100 biofuel at London Gateway

“Svitzer Thames” switching from marine diesel to HVO can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 700 mt annually, while also improving local air quality.

Published

2 days ago

July 20, 2026

Admin

DP World, Svitzer switch harbour tug to 100% HVO at London Gateway

Global logistics group DP World recently said the company bunkered the first harbour tug to use 100% Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel at London Gateway, in collaboration with Svitzer.

Svitzer Thames handles some of the world’s largest container ships at the port, and switching from marine diesel to HVO can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 700 metric tonnes (mt) annually, while also improving local air quality.

“DP World and Svitzer are working together to use biofuel on tugs to reduce emissions in the UK, enabling cargo owners to actively reduce supply chain emissions at the source,” DP World said in a social media post.

“By transitioning to this lower lifecycle emissions solution, we are helping our customers to tackle scope 3 emissions and meet their sustainability goals along the supply chain.”

DP World partnered with marine services company Svitzer, under a partnership that will see its tug boats serving DP World’s ports transition to these fuels.

Manifold Times previously reported DP World supporting the bunkering of tugboat Svitzer Bargate using 100% Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in place of conventional diesel.

The operation was conducted at the Port of Southampton in the UK.

The company added that the emissions savings from this activity form part of the last nautical mile carbon inset credits under its Carbon Inset Programme, enabling cargo owners to actively reduce supply chain emissions at the source.

Photo credit: DP World
Published: 20 July, 2026